Kamran Ali Shah
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday imposed a ban on illegal harvest of glacial ice in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) by hearing a petition filed against the cutting of glaciers.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Waqar Ahmed heard the petition and ordered that there will be a complete ban on the cutting of glaciers.
During the hearing petitioner, lawyer Sajid Afridi Advocate, said Illegal harvesting of glaciers was continuing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The PHC judge Justice Ijaz Anwa,r asked, Why do people cut glaciers?
In a reply, the petitioner said Glacier ice was brought to the markets for sale.
“This used to happen in the old days,” Justice Waqar Ahmed
It is still going on, this ice is sold in summer, Tariq Afghan Advocate replied.
“The Environment Department has submitted a report, it is not possible to take ice from the glacier, Additional Advocate General Syed Sikandar Hayat Shah
AAG Syed Sikandar Hayat Shah said glaciers were thousands of feet high, it was not possible to take ice.
Sajeed Afridi Advocate argues, the glacier is cut from below, when the temperature rises, then the glaciers melt.
He said up to 200 trucks of ice were taken from the glacier for commercial needs every day.
“I am from this area myself. When the glaciers melt, it causes floods,” Tariq Afghan Advocate
He added that ice comes from the mountains up to Mardan in summer and is sold.
“Last year too, a flood situation arose in Chitral due to the same reason,” Tariq Afghan Advocate claimed.
The government does not care, agricultural lands are being depleted.
Justice Waqar Ahmed. It should have been that the government imposed a complete ban on it, and the Forest Department should monitor it, just as there was a ban on carrying trees, it should also be banned.
Tariq Afghan Advocate said Illegal felling of glaciers had posed serious threats to the environment, and Illegal felling of glaciers was a violation of the Environmental Protection Act 1997 and 2014.
Mr Afghan added that Argentina and Tajikistan have legislated on glaciers; Pakistan should also do the same. The government should legislate for this.
Read also: PHC imposes ban on illegal harvest of glacial ice in KP
The court ordered the provincial government and the concerned deputy commissioners to ban glacier cutting. The court also sought a report from the concerned deputy commissioners.
